U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver was the first candidate to file for office Tuesday in Missouri, showing the 11-term Democratic incumbent will run for re-election despite uncertainty about the boundaries of the district he represents.
Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, became a target when Missouri Republicans, acting at the urging of President Donald Trump, redrew the map for the state’s eight congressional districts during a September special session.
Cleaver’s 5th District, which since 2022 has included almost all of Kansas City as well as portions of Clay and Jackson counties, now stretches east to Columbia through 14 additional counties. With the prospect of running in a district that now leans heavily Republican, four GOP candidates filed soon after Cleaver completed his paperwork.
Which voters will decide Cleaver’s fate — those in the district drawn last year, or the one that re-elected him in 2024 — is a question pending in state courts and local election authorities.
Cole County Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe is expected to rule soon on whether petitions filed for a referendum on the gerrymandered map mean it is not in effect for this year’s election. And local election authorities are checking those petitions to see if there are sufficient signatures to force a statewide vote.
“Normally, this would be an act of insanity for somebody to file for public office and not know where they’re serving if they should win,” Cleaver said. “But I have no idea what district I’m going to be in.”
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins is telling congressional candidates that the districts drawn last year, which rearranged the boundaries of almost all of the state’s eight districts, are in effect.
“The new Missouri First map was passed by both the House and the Senate, signed by Governor Kehoe, and I’ve been very clear that the new Missouri first map is in effect today,” Hoskins said.
The four Republicans who filed before noon on Tuesday are Sean Smith, a Jackson County legislator who ran against Cleaver in 2024; Taylor Burks, a former Boone County Clerk who made an unsuccessful run for the 4th Congressional District in 2022 and dropped out after a short-lived run for 3rd District in 2024; Brett Hueffmeier, a Kansas City attorney; and Brad Patty, a retired Army mechanic from Fayette.
Smith took just under 35% of the vote in 2024 and he’s eager to run in the new district.
“It does what we see our competition on the other side do all over the country, and that is to maximize the opportunity in the United States Congress for our side,” Smith said.
Patty said the district is a miniature version of the state.
“This district is a good representation of Missouri. It’s going to have rural counties, and it also has city voters, so I think it is well-mixed,” he said.
Burks, a commander in the Navy Reserve, said in a news release that he’s ready for the challenge.
“Today, we are fighting for America’s soul against career politicians like Emanuel Cleaver who have lost touch with the people they serve,” Burks said.
Cleaver said he is ready for the campaign regardless of its geography.
“My work ethic is not going to change, and neither will my commitment to the voters,” Cleaver said. “If I have to serve the people who live just outside of Columbia and Jefferson City, then I’ll do that.”
1st District Democratic Competition
The 5th District Republican primary won’t be the only congressional primary with intense competition. In the 1st Congressional District in St. Louis, former U.S.Rep. Cori Bush filed against U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell for a rematch of their 2024 Democratic primary.
Bll ousted Bush after her first term in Congress, defeating her in the 2024 Democratic primary with 51.2% of the vote, while Cori Bush garnered 45.6%. This election was notable for its high stakes and significant financial backing, with over $18 million raised for the campaign
In an interview Tuesday, Bush said she blames Bell for the slow federal response after a devastating tornado hit St. Louis in May.
Bush, however, saved her harshest criticism for the Republican lawmakers who redrew the congressional map and want to make it harder to pass constitutional amendments by initiative.
“The one thing that pisses me off about that is that these same folks that feel like maybe people didn’t understand, maybe they didn’t didn’t know what they were voting on, but they are in the seat because of that same ballot, and they are not saying that the person didn’t know what they were doing they voted,” Bush said.
Also in the race are Alissa Murphy who ran as a write in candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024 and Carl E. Harris Sr. also ran for office before unsuccessfully.
Missouri Democrats
This year’s legislative contests will be a big test for Missouri Democrats. They are three seats short of breaking the GOP’s supermajority — two-thirds of all seats — in the Missouri House and two seats away in the Missouri Senate.
There are no incumbents running in 11 of the 17 Senate seats on the ballot, but only two, both GOP seats, are seen as competitive in November.
The 30th District in Springfield, held by state Sen. Lincoln Hough, and the 8th District in Jackson County, held by state Sen. Mike Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit — are seen as the most likely districts to flip.
In Springfield, the 30th District race pits state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Democrat, against state Rep. Melanie Stinnett, a Republican. In the 8th District, House Speaker Jon Patterson will run in a GOP primary against former state Rep. Dan Stacy. The winner will face state Rep. Kerri Ingle, a Lee’s Summit Democrat.
